Thursday, October 31, 2013

Lisa T. Bergren’s popular Grand Tour series
concludes as Cora Kensington journeys farther into Italy, wrestles with a
terrible ultimatum from her father, and comes to terms with the Father who will
never fail her.

America’s newest heiress must decide if her potential fortune is rationale
enough to give up her freedom and all that God is leading her toward. And when
her newly-discovered siblings are threatened with ruin, her quandary deepens.
Then as Cora nears Rome, more journalists are track the news story of the
decade—“Copper Cora,” the rags-to-riches girl—and want to know more about her
family and the men vying for her attention. Meanwhile, a charming Italian
countess decides that if Cora isn’t going to claim Will’s heart, she might just
try...

I
took deep breaths of the air, redolent with the scents of lavender and
rosemary, the hot smell of summer in Italy.

“If
you spot him again, shoot him on sight,” my father said. “I shall deal with the
repercussions myself.”

“Let’s
just say no strings that are obvious. You
and I both know that there are always strings. Always.”

I
could not have asked for a better end to this amazing series. The third
installment promised to be so many things, and I was not disappointed one bit.
This book follows the group to Italy, for the conclusion of their trip and in
order to get away from the press for a while. I felt that Italy was a wonderful
place to end this series. The descriptions and imagery were mastered
beautifully, and honestly the pace felt so much more calm and serene because of
Cora and her friend’s surroundings. Lisa Bergren is an amazing author and this
review, I am sure, will not do her justice.

This
book wastes no time diving into Cora’s life and all the conflicts she faces at
home and in her own personal life. Cora really grows as a person and a
character in this book because she has to make a few decisions, and these are
not easy ones to make. She feels torn between the father figures in her life,
as well as the two men that are vying for her heart. Cora is a remarkable
person, and after following her in three books I must say that she has been one
of my favorite characters to read over the past year. She now just feels like a
childhood friend to me, and when I need a good dose of inspiration I will turn
to some of her most encouraging lines in these books.

These
books have given me a little bit of everything all wrapped into one. They were
like a big birthday cake made from scratch providing: history, romance,
adventure, action, and best of all, drama! This book is just like the rest, and
keeps you on the edge of your seat wondering what is going to happen next. At
times while reading I pictured this book being turned into a television series,
and must admit that I believe it would be a marvelous one at that! Lisa
Bergren, keep writing books like these!

***A
copy of this book was provided to me by the folks at Litfuse Blog Tours in
exchange for my participation on a tour and my honest review***

Helen Huntingdon is beautiful—so beautiful she has to wear an iron mask. Six
months ago her sister Jane uncovered a fey plot to take over the city. Too late
for Helen, who opted for fey beauty in her face—and now has to cover her face
with iron so she won’t be taken over, her personality erased by the bodiless
fey.

Not that Helen would mind that some days. Stuck in a marriage with the wealthy
and controlling Alistair, she lives at the edges of her life, secretly helping
Jane remove the dangerous fey beauty from the wealthy society women who paid
for it. But when the chancy procedure turns deadly, Jane goes missing—and is
implicated in the murder.

Meanwhile, Alistair’s influential clique Copperhead—whose emblem is the
poisonous copperhead hydra—is out to restore humans to their “rightful” place,
even to the point of destroying the dwarvven who have always been allies.

Helen is determined to find her missing sister, as well as continue the good
fight against the fey. But when that pits her against her own husband—and when
she meets an enigmatic young revolutionary—she’s pushed to discover how far
she’ll bend society’s rules to do what’s right. It may be more than her beauty
at stake. It may be her honor...and her heart.

The
emblem of the Copperhead Society was spreading faster and faster these days, almost
as fast as the blue bits of fey that lay quiescent throughout the city.

With
relief, Helen reached to unbuckle her iron mask, but her husband stopped her. “Could
be dangerous.”

And
anyone who had fey attached to their bodies was at risk of being taken over by
the fey.

It
had even happened to Helen. Only Jane’s quick application of an iron spike into
her arm had killed the fey and saved her. Helen shuddered, remembering the
moment.

Copperhead looks at Helen’s point
of view, Jane’s sister, as bits of fey are being found all over town and the
threat of fey activity is present once again. The action and adventure start as
quickly as the story does. We are once again thrown into this eerie world where
the need to protect yourself is at an all-time high. Before you can blink your
eyes, you will have already have reached the rising action, Jane will be
missing, and Helen will go on the chase of her life looking to save her sister.
Helen is not prepared to learn all that she does about herself as she takes the
most unforgettable journey of her life!

I
really did enjoy Jane’s character in the last book, and must admit that I wasn’t
so sure about Helen when I first started reading. She came off as selfish and
snarky to me at first, whereas Jane came off right the opposite – genuine and
sincere. However, as the story progressed so did my love for Helen. Her character
really did grow on me as she took a stand on many issues, and even rose up
against her own husband. She showed me what really mattered to her once her
sister went missing, and these characteristics are what make a character
extraordinary.

I
must admit Ironskin was not my
favorite, but this one definitely makes up for that. It has the perfect Gothic
backdrop and really touches on some powerful feminist issues for women like divorce,
women’s rights, and the importance of outside appearance. I felt like this book
was better than the first and really took issues to the next level and explored
more avenues than the first one did. This one also added a bit more romance and
mystery, which I can always appreciate. However, I would strongly recommend
reading the first one before reading the second one. The second one could be
read alone, I believe, but I think they will be enjoyed more if they are read
in order!

***A
copy of this book was provided to me by the publishers at Tor Books in exchange
for my honest review***

Monday, October 28, 2013

Felicity
St. John has it all—loyal best friends, a hot guy, and artistic talent. And
she’s right on track to win the Miss Scarlet pageant. Her perfect life is
possible because of just one thing: her long, wavy, coppery red hair.

Having red hair is all that matters in Scarletville. Redheads hold all the
power—and everybody knows it. That’s why Felicity is scared down to her roots
when she receives an anonymous note:

I know your secret.

Because Felicity is a big fake. Her hair color comes straight out of a bottle.
And if anyone discovered the truth, she’d be a social outcast faster than she
could say "strawberry blond." Her mother would disown her, her
friends would shun her, and her boyfriend would dump her. And forget about
winning that pageant crown and the prize money that comes with it—money that
would allow her to fulfill her dream of going to art school.

Felicity isn’t about to let someone blackmail her life away. But just how far is
she willing to go to protect her red cred?

The
banner fluttering in the breeze outside City Hall read SCARLETVILLE, IOWA:
NATIONAL REDHEAD SANCTUARY.

It
was Scarlet Sunday, the anniversary of the founding of Scarletville, and the
yearly carnival was in full swing. The lampposts in the center of town were
festooned with red flowers, and the breeze carried the popcorn-and-fried-dough
smell of celebration.

Because
unbeknownst to the adoring crowd, Felicity’s hair color – that bright coppery
red that made her so enviable in Scarletville – was completely artificial.

Starting right now, you
will act like you want every brunette in this school to be your best friend.
Fail to impress us, and everyone finds out what you really are.

This
story is literally all about the color red. It takes place in a town called
Scarletville, a place dominated by redheads, created by a redhead, for people
to live and produce more redheads. Anybody who is of great importance in this town
has red hair. Now don’t misunderstand, other people live there too. There are
blondes and brunettes as well, but no one can be considered anyone unless they
have red hair. Felicity St. John is one of the most popular girls in her
school, but no one knows her secret. She really doesn’t have the deep, dark
shade of red hair that she pretends to have. She is really a Strawby, someone
with strawberry blonde hair. But to save her reputation and her spot in the
Miss Scarlet pageant, she and her mother have been hiding that secret from
everyone since she was a small child. Until one day when Felicity receives a
note saying: I know your secret.

This
book can be shallow at times and I honestly had to stop reading it a few times,
just to make sure I was taking it all in correctly. Wait, am I really reading a book about people being popular and
well-liked only if they have red hair? Yes, but it was the deeper meaning
of this book that really drew me in. This book is really about real life issues
like bullying, acceptance, and alienating people just because you don’t like
the way they look. I think these are issues that we can all agree are still
prevalent in schools and amongst adolescents today. The underlying message was
there and it was very powerful by the time I finished reading.

My
two favorite characters in this novel were Ivy and Jonathan. Neither of these
characters play huge roles in the book, but I love the roles they play in
Felicity’s life. Felicity became annoying to me at times, but even when her
secret was out both of these people still cared for her and did not shun her
away like the rest of the town. Jonathan is just the guy that every girl needs
to find. It was obvious from the first time I met him how he felt about
Felicity, and he did not care about the shade of her hair at all. Ivy is just
like Jonathan, but in best friend form. She stood by Felicity no matter what,
when other people that she thought were her friends did not. Felicity was never
really alone, and I think that was a powerful message as well.

***A
copy of this book was provided to me by the publishers at Delacorte BFYR in
exchange for my honest review***

Friday, October 25, 2013

A
vivid and compelling novel about a woman who becomes entangled in an affair
with Edgar Allan Poe—at the same time she becomes the unwilling confidante of
his much-younger wife.

It is 1845, and Frances Osgood is desperately trying to make a living as a
writer in New York; not an easy task for a woman—especially one with two
children and a philandering portrait painter as her husband. As Frances tries
to sell her work, she finds that editors are only interested in writing similar
to that of the new renegade literary sensation Edgar Allan Poe, whose poem,
“The Raven” has struck a public nerve.

She meets the handsome and mysterious Poe at a literary party, and the two have
an immediate connection. Poe wants Frances to meet with his wife since she
claims to be an admirer of her poems, and Frances is curious to see the woman
whom Edgar married.

As Frances spends more and more time with the intriguing couple, her intense
attraction for Edgar brings her into dangerous territory. And Mrs. Poe, who
acts like an innocent child, is actually more manipulative and threatening than
she appears. As Frances and Edgar’s passionate affair escalates, Frances must
decide whether she can walk away before it’s too late...

Set amidst the fascinating world of New York’s literati, this smart and sexy
novel offers a unique view into the life of one of history’s most unforgettable
literary figures.

But
my husband had run off, and even if I did sue him for divorce, it would do me
no good – he had no money to support me. I was in no position to turn up my
nose at Mr. Edgar A. Poe and the recognition his backing might give me. Surely no
harm could come from that.

“Tell
him, please, that I admire his poem greatly.”

I
unfolded the paper. It opened to a copy of ‘The Raven.’ The hair raised on my
arms.

This
is the story not of Edgar Allan Poe’s wife, but of his alleged affair with
Francis Osgood, another writer of poetry. Lynn Cullen has an incredible eye for
detail and mastery of beautiful imagery and language throughout this book. This
was the first book that I have ever read by her, and was excited to add a new
author to my always growing list. As and eleventh grade English teacher, junior
year being the time that we cover American literature, you can probably figure
that Poe is at the top of my list. Anything written by him or about him will
sit on my bookshelf. I was anxious to read a copy of this book, and was not the
least bit disappointed.

This
book covers so much than the relationship between Frances and Poe, but also
cover a significant amount of history and allows readers to immerse themselves
in this vintage New York that Cullen has written, and written wonderfully I might
add. We see a bit of literature, cultures, and social customs of the times
which is always a nice when reading historical fiction. I like to have a nice
exposition laid out before me before diving into a different time period. One of
my favorite parts of this book was getting to the end and realizing there was
an author’s note. It is very informative and adds a few more interesting
details, especially for big Poe fans! This was definitely a nice touch that I was
not expecting.

A
lot of this book is based on fact and Lynn Cullen’s extensive research on Poe,
Virginia (his wife), and Frances. I was intrigued by the fact that Virginia
actually encouraged their relationship and invited Frances to their home on
several occasions. I have completed enough research to know that many Poe
scholars think that the affair did not happen, but with some of the evidence
provided in stories like this, from real historians who have done their research,
it just cannot be denied. This story was an inspiring one in the fact that it
made me want to continue research and learn more about each of these
individuals.

***A
copy of this book was provided to me by the publishers at Gallery Books in
exchange for my honest review***

Thursday, October 24, 2013

’Tis
the season for romance, second chances, and Christmas cheer with this new novel
from Debbie Macomber.

Carrie Slayton, a big-city society-page columnist, longs to write more serious
news stories. So her editor hands her a challenge: She can cover any topic she
wants, but only if she first scores the paper an interview with Finn Dalton,
the notoriously reclusive author.

Living in the remote Alaskan wilderness, Finn has written a mega bestselling
memoir about surviving in the wild. But he stubbornly declines to speak to
anyone in the press, and no one even knows exactly where he lives.

Digging deep into Finn’s past, Carrie develops a theory on his whereabouts. It
is the holidays, but her career is at stake, so she forsakes her family
celebrations and flies out to snowy Alaska. When she finally finds Finn, she
discovers a man both more charismatic and more stubborn than she even expected.
And soon she is torn between pursuing the story of a lifetime and following her
heart.

Filled with all the comforts and joys of Christmastime, Starry Night is
a delightful novel of finding happiness in the most surprising places.

“I
want this chance, and if it means tracking down Finn Dalton into some forsaken
tundra, then I will put on my big-girl shoes and go for it.” But not the heels
she’d worn last night, that was for sure.

Carrie
smiled and held the gold band between her index finger and thumb. This ring
could very well be her ticket to reaching the elusive Finn Dalton.

Sawyer
scratched the side of his head. “I wouldn’t start off mentioning the ring and
his mother.”

“All
women?” Carrie challenged. He wasn’t making sense. “You see us as selfish and
untrustworthy because your mother left you? And you have the nerve to tell me
you don’t have abandonment issues?” She resisted the urge to laugh. This guy
was a real piece of work. “Have you considered counseling?”

This
book was just what I needed to get in the mood for Christmas. We start off by
meeting Carrie Slayton, a society page columnist who is dying to write more
important pieces instead of local society events. Right before finally walking
out the door and quitting forever, her editor gives her a challenge: find and
interview the famous, reclusive, national bestselling author named Finn Dalton.
Carrie doesn’t think twice before accepting the job. She doesn’t even care that
he is rumored to live in the cold, deserted Alaskan tundra. So while forfeiting
her vacation time for Thanksgiving, she takes off to Alaska with the hopes of
locating Dalton and being able to finally write the pieces she has always
dreamed of writing.

This
story is warm and cozy, with just enough suspense, romance, and mystery added
in as well. Carrie takes a big risk going off to Alaska in the middle of one of
the winter’s worst storms. She first finds Finn’s estranged mother, with whom
he refuses to communicate with, and she points Carrie in the right direction.
Carrie is dropped off outside of Finn’s cabin and hopes that he will take pity
on her. The setting of this story is absolutely what I was in the mood for. It
is icy cold outside the walls of Finn’s home, but inside Finn and Carrie are
sharing a chemistry that is hot enough to warm the entire tundra!

Finn
has such a hard exterior that it was often difficult for me to like him at all.
Carrie, however, I fell in love with from the very beginning. She was a woman
with aspirations and goals that didn’t let anything slow her down at all. She wanted
to be a “real” journalist, and just what does it say for her determination that
she was willing to go to such great lengths? I love Macomber’s writing style.
It always draws me in immediately from the start. The way she wrote the
relationship between Finn and Carrie was so powerful because just when you
thought the ice was going to break open, it snowed again! I liked the fact that
she left Finn as such a mystery to start with. Carrie was the fire that melted
his huge iceberg!

***A
copy of this book was provided to me by the publishers at Ballantine Books in
exchange for my honest review***

Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Fired. Tara Holloway can’t
believe it. After all she’s done for the IRS, a few too many shots fired from
her weapon and suddenly she’s public enemy number one. To add insult to injury,
another agent has replaced her, and a ten-million-dollar assault case is hanging
over her head. So much for traveling to Tokyo with Special Agent Nick Pratt,
former partner and current boyfriend. Tara’s stuck in Texas, and using green
tea ice cream to soothe her disappointment, as well as the terrifying prospect
of a life behind bars.

Tara’s former boss, Lu “the Lobo” Lobozinski, has a plan—to stick Tara in
auditing, where she can’t possibly get into trouble. But between bumping into a
college frenemy whose family business is under audit, Tara’s stubborn
determination to keep an eye on Nick behind the scenes, and her new long-range
rifle, she’s about to get a taste of just how dangerous her life can be, in Death,
Taxes, and Green Tea Ice Cream from Diane Kelly…

“Don’t
believe it. I didn’t kill anyone. I just shot four men who deserved it, that’s
all!”

Especially
men. They seemed to fear that admitting an error would shrink their testicles.

I
punched the button for the garage and sent a reply. I’m damaged goods.

This
series, along with Tara Holloway, have stolen my heart. Tara is a kick butt
heroine with some series butt-stomping skills. She is fierce and passionate
about what she does. This series continues to develop in a positive way, and
give readers new cases and brand new characters to grip ahold of! At the start
of this book, and the end of the last one, readers learn that Tara has been
fired from her job, and for someone like Tara this constitutes a mental
breakdown. But as always, Nick steps in to save the day and Tara is on another
mission once more!

I
didn’t really know how to feel about Tara no longer working for the IRS, but
once again Diane Kelly comes through in a clutch. I worried for nothing it
turns out because even though she no longer has a badge and a holster packed
with heat, she still has other advantages to getting inside some of her very
own cases. Tara, as well as the author who wrote her, is highly intelligent and
incredibly clever and she always gets what she wants! Tara is someone for other
women to look up to; she is a feminist herself and believes in equal treatment
for all women. In Tara’s eyes, women can do all that men do, and do it better. She
is an outstanding heroine that continues to grow and bloom with each addition
to this series.

Tara
and Nick’s relationship makes me happy! I love watching it mature and develop
into more for both of them. Nick really respects Tara’s space, which any man
must do if he is going to date Tara. Tara proves that she cannot be held down,
and Nick has just the right personality to work alongside her. Their
relationship works well and adds humor and a light romantic fluff to the
stories, just what they needed!

***A
copy of this book was provided to me by the publishers at St. Martin’s
Paperbacks in exchange for my honest review***

Monday, October 21, 2013

The
gripping tale about two boys, once as close as brothers, who find
themselves on opposite sides of the Holocaust.
Elliot Rosenzweig, a respected civic leader and wealthy philanthropist, is
attending a fundraiser when he is suddenly accosted and accused of being a
former Nazi SS officer named Otto Piatek, the Butcher of Zamosc. Although the
charges are denounced as preposterous, his accuser is convinced he is right and
engages attorney Catherine Lockhart to bring Rosenzweig to justice. Solomon
persuades attorney Catherine Lockhart to take his case, revealing that the true
Piatek was abandoned as a child and raised by Solomon's own family only to
betray them during the Nazi occupation. But has Solomon accused the right
man?

Once We Were Brothers is Ronald H. Balson's compelling tale of two boys
and a family who struggle to survive in war-torn Poland, and a young love that
struggles to endure the unspeakable cruelty of the Holocaust. Two lives, two
worlds, and sixty years converge in an explosive race to redemption that makes
for a moving and powerful tale of love, survival, and ultimately the triumph of
the human spirit.

Everything
in our world seemed to be influenced by what was going on in Germany, and
everyone we knew was trying to keep abreast of the news.

“Two
weeks later, before the sun rises on Friday, September 1, 1939, a million and a
half German troops cross the Polish border in the most, ferocious, deadly
attack ever known to man.”

“Once
we were brothers,” said Ben sadly.

This
book begins with Elliott Rosenzweig, a respected civic leader and wealthy philanthropist,
held at gunpoint by a man named Ben Solomon who is also holding him at
gunpoint. Once the commotion is put to rest Elliott’s charges are denounced,
but Ben just knows that his is right in accusing Elliott of supporting and
being a part of the Nazi regime. Ben goes on to hire attorney, Catherine
Lockhart, in the hopes of bringing Rosenzweig to justice. Ben claims that
Elliott is really Otto Piatek, a child his family raised, who later betrayed
his family and turned them over to the Nazis. This is a story of survival, love
lost, hatred, hurt, and strength!

I
enjoyed this book simply for its historical context. Sometimes it is nice to
read Holocaust books just to remind myself how good I really have it, and what
happens in a world where evil is cast out and goodness is broken down. This
story is so powerful, especially seeing a man who survived the Holocaust still
holding onto many of his pent up feelings and hatred after all that time.
Holocaust survivors have a tendency to be some of the most strong, unfaltering
people. Ben Solomon is an excellent example of both of those characteristics.
The fight that he takes on in this book is riveting and absolutely breathtaking.
He already survived the Holocaust, but he will not rest until justice has been
served for him and his family.

This
book brings forth so many powerful, strong emotions. Listening to the story of
Ben and Otto was so gripping and really made me cling to each page. The story
was told is such wonderful detail and with such strong imagery and imagination.
A Holocaust formed friendship is not something you read in books every day, but
it makes a wonderful concept and is fledged out quite nicely in this book. Many
emotions rushed over while reading this book, and I am just preparing you all
as well! Holocaust reads are some of my favorite, but prepare yourself because you
made need some tissue!

***A
copy of this book was provided to me by the publishers at St. Martin’s Griffin
in exchange for my honest review***

Sunday, October 20, 2013

Calling
Anna and Bennett’s romance long distance is an understatement: she’s from 1995
Chicago and he’s a time traveler from 2012 San Francisco. The two of them never
should have met, but they did. They fell in love, even though they knew they
shouldn't. And they found a way to stay together, against all odds.

It’s not a perfect arrangement, though, with Bennett unable to stay in the past
for more than brief visits, skipping out on big chunks of his present in order
to be with Anna in hers. They each are confident that they’ll find a way to
make things work...until Bennett witnesses a single event he never should have
seen (and certainly never expected to). Will the decisions he makes from that
point on cement a future he doesn't want?

Told from Bennett’s point of view, Time After Time will satisfy readers looking
for a fresh, exciting, and beautifully-written love story, both those who are
eager to find out what’s next for Time Between Us's Anna and Bennett and those
discovering their story for the first time.

Wherever you are in this
world, that’s where I want to be.

And
just like that first night, she kissed me back, pulling me into her, like she
still wants me here and still trusts me with her heart, even though she
probably knows by now that she shouldn’t.

Her
whole face is lit up so bright, I swear we could turn off all the lights in the
bookstore and still see each other perfectly.

This
time last year I had just finished Time Between
Us and didn’t think I could wait a whole year before getting my hands on Time After Time. I greatly missed Anna
and Bennett and was very anxious to see where their relationship was headed,
especially because they live seventeen years apart. This story picks up right
where the last one left off, and I was anxious to see the next steps for the
time traveling couple. I went back to the first book and re-read the ending,
just to refresh my memory, and then I was ready to get started on the next part
of their journey!

This
book contains more of Bennett’s perspective, and readers will spend more time
with him in 2012 San Francisco. I do love Anna’s perspective better, but this
put things into a more clear vision for me and helps build some background into
Bennett’s past, as well as his family and their past. We get more inside
Bennett’s head and realize just what lengths he will go to for Anna. We see how
much he sacrifices just to travel back to 1995 Chicago, and the side effect
that the time traveling is starting to have on him. I would love to see this
book cast as a movie just to see who would get to portray Bennett.

On
the other hand, as we were digging deeper inside Bennett’s mind we got to see
more of Anna’s despair and desperation. Anna was really the one that was put in
between a rock and a hard place because she never knows when Bennett is leaving
and when he might return again. Even though they always try to plan the next
time they will see each other, Anna always has to wonder if he will be able to
return again. Anna tries to make sure that her life goes on as normal, but it
becomes harder and harder with Bennett not around.

If
you loved the first book in this series, then you cannot miss out on the next
installment!

***A
copy of this book was provided to me by the publishers at Disney-Hyperion in
exchange for my honest review***

Thursday, October 17, 2013

1558. Kate Haywood, a simple musician in the employ of a princess, will
find herself involved in games of crowns as she sets out to solve the murder of
the queen’s envoy....

England is in tumult under the rule of Queen Mary and her Spanish husband.
Confined to house arrest at Hatfield House, young Princess Elizabeth is the
country’s greatest hope. Far from court intrigues, Elizabeth finds solace in
simple things: the quiet countryside and peaceful recreation, including the
melodies of her chief musician and his daughter, Kate Haywood.

But Kate will prove herself most valuable when an envoy of the queen—sent to
flush out heretics in the princess’s household—is found dead on the grounds of
Hatfield. Acting as Elizabeth’s eyes and ears, Kate is sent out on the trail of
a killer whose mission could destroy her family, friends—and the future of
England.

“I
am Lord Braceton, sent by Her Majesty to examine this household,” he said. “I
was greeted in your lane by a murderous villain, whose cowardly attack has left
my manservant dead.”

Something
inside of her, some spark of eager and dangerous curiosity that had been with
her since she was a little girl, wouldn’t let her.

She was going to get
them all killed.

The
figure turned away with a satisfied smile and hurried toward the stream to
rinse away the blood, leaving a black cloak behind in the water to wash
downstream, unseen.

I
have noticed that I have not been reading as much historical fiction as I
normally do this year, and I am working on remedying that as we speak. I was so
glad to see this book, the first in a new series, come along and even more
excited when I realized the time period. Then I realized that Queen Elizabeth
is a character in this book herself, and so became all the more intrigued. This
story focuses more around the life of Kate, who is just a musician in Princess
Elizabeth’s employ. Kate serves as our female guide and sleuth, and risks her
own life when the lives of the royals are put in danger.

I
was most impressed with the historical setting and Kate Haywood’s character. The
book is set during Queen Mary’s rule, and so England is in shambles as history
tells us. Her appreciation for detail and realistic fact is appreciated,
especially in a new series while she is still setting the tone for the rest of
the books. Kate proves herself to be loyal and determined when it comes to
saving the lives of the people she cares for the most. I had no problems with
Kate, and felt that she was just the right character to lead me through this
mystery.

The
only things that I did not care for about this novel was firstly the predictability.
I felt like it was a little obvious what was going to happen at times, and
usually this doesn’t bother me, but for some reason at certain times in this
book it really did. The next thing was that I felt that the book ended too
quickly and I would have liked a little more detailed wrap up. I read one other
review where a blogger felt this way, and honestly I am just glad to know that
it wasn’t only me.

However,
I did enjoy the book and I am greatly looking forward to the next one!

***A
copy of this book was provided to me by the publishers at Signet in exchange
for my honest review***

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

In a case that could change her career, Miranda
uncovers a love that will change her life.

When Miranda Hunt sees the classified ad for an heiress to the legendary Last
Chance Ranch, she knows assuming the identity of Annie Beckman is the perfect
cover. As one of the finest agents for the Pinkerton Detective Agency, Miranda
has been tasked with apprehending the Phantom – an elusive and notorious train
robber thought to be hiding on the sprawling ranch.

But she isn’t the only one there with something to hide. Wells Fargo detective
Jeremy Taggert is working the scene undercover as well. And although their true
identities are a secret, it is impossible for Jeremy and Miranda to hide the
spark that flares between them.

But neither is about to let romance interfere with such a huge case. Besides,
Miranda hasn’t removed Jeremy from her list of suspects yet. The closer they
come to uncovering the identity of the Phantom, the more dangerous he gets –
and no one on the ranch is safe.

But neither are their hearts – the longer Miranda and Jeremy spends working
together, the harder it becomes to keep their feelings in check. Their careers
– and their lives – depend on solving this case. Love will have to wait.

Suspicion ain’t proof unless you’re married.

An undercover agent is only as good as his (or
her) disguise.

Anyone poking around in another’s history could
well end up riddled with bullet holes.

The only person to get into trouble for
following a good example is a counterfeiter.

This is the third book and final book in the Brides of Last Chance Ranch series.
Margaret Brownley is an author that delivers every time with endearing
characters and cozy, comfortable settings. This story follows Miranda Hunt as
she goes undercover, working for Pinkerton Detective Agency, posing as Annie
Beckman and tries to solve the case of the Phantom, a thief who has been
robbing trains and banks near Last Chance Ranch. This particular assignment
will provide Miranda with the opportunity to prove herself as a top detective
in the agency! Jeremy Taggart is the only wrench in her plans. She doesn’t
realize that Jeremy is working the same case as her, and by the time it is all
said and done they both end up suspecting each other! Can they learn to work
together or will they continue to bump heads?

This is my second novel involving the Pinkerton
Agency, and specifically a Pinkerton female. Miranda has lived her whole life
trying to prove to her father her worth. He was once a Pinkerton detective, but
died on a case years ago. Once she receives this job, she feels like her life
has finally started. Her determination is striking and unforgettable. She
literally lets nothing get in her way. I loved seeing Jeremy added to the equation
because I got to see a different side of her after that. A female in charge is
always the way to go if you want to win my heart! Miranda is an excellent
character, who might be just as strong-willed as me!

The mystery of the Phantom intrigued me, and
honestly I loved how much mystery and adventure were incorporated into this
story. This is not just a love story, and that makes it all the more fun.
Brownley has a knack for embracing all literary elements: mystery, setting,
motivations of characters, and makes them work together for the greater good of
the story. Her depictions of the Last Chance Ranch are cozy and inviting, just
like with some many of her other stories as well!

***A copy of this book was provided to me by the
publishers at Thomas Nelson Books in exchange for my honest review***

About Me

My name is Chelsey and I am the creator of Charming Chelsey's! I read and review anything and everything that I find to be "charming."
I accept ARCs or already released books for review, and I'm also available to participate in any blog tours or book reveals too. If anything, please don't hesitate to email me any time for any reason at: charmingchelseys(at)gmail(dot)com